CENTRE FOR MULTILEVEL FEDERALISM

2020

In a period of widespread corruption, coupled with economic downturn, disconcerting issues related to autonomy and separate states, the management of grassroots level affairs by local communities in the wake of political consciousness and local aspirations and the issues of Centre-state relations are back on the political agenda. A legitimate question that arises in this context is: do we need to rethink federalism in India? This paper attempts to highlight the present challenges to the centre-state relations and explores the directions in which the national and state governments should move if the country is to achieve its goals of a strong, stable, economically vibrant nation.

The article examines the recent trends and issues in Indian federalism. The federal system has become transformedy in the last seven decades-from being dismissed as a full-fledged federal system to a widely acclaimed federal system in the world. Simply put, Indian federalism has become more meaningful and functional post-liberalisation. The article has examined this turnaround. From a subordinate position till the late 1980s, states rose to occupy a strategic position in India's move from a command economy to a market economy. No wonder, therefore, the Centre became more interested in involving states in even forbidden area such as foreign policy matters. Divisive politics in several states today is being replaced by developmental politics. States are not only competing but also learning from each other. States are being seen by the Centre as drivers of India's growth.

It is a great pleasure, privilege and honour for me to be able to talk to you about Rasheed Sa'ab in this august gathering. Though I was not formally his student, I learned a lot from him as his junior colleague. We shared common interests and my wife and I were privileged to get to know him and his wife Leela, his children Anusha and Kabir. We spent many warm moments together, which I cherish.

India Review, 2017

This article describes the features of India's federal system and process, and seeks to explain their effectiveness in terms of their symbiosis with the projects of nation-building and state-formation in India. This is done through a presentation of the basic structure of federalism in India and its political constraints. Federalism, along with parliamentarism, is axial principle of Government in India. Indian federalism is not a static entity. It has been evolving over the years form a predominantly parliamentary system. The flexibility of the federal process has made it possible for the state in India to accommodate ethno national movements in the form of new regions, thus gradually increasing both the number of states and the governability of the union.In this article we examine federal Process in India,structure,asymmetric federalism, andthe interaction between globalization and India's federal system, in the context of the country's past decade of economic reform.

International Journal of Political Science and Governance , 2022

This paper tries to examine a deep overview of the working of Indian federalism in general and to the contemporary era in particular. This includes all those issues that have often been presented in recent times. Large numbers of debate and discussion therefore widely taking place around the federalist part whether the federal government that the country has adapted is in form of suit or ultra verse. On the other side, important significance also set forth on the norms of constitution and principal objectives of federalism. Hence, in federalism; both the centre and states is an equal partner and equal par excellence. They also guaranteed to believe in the assumption of 'self-rule' with 'share-rule'. But, several controversy and dichotomy have originated due to the uncertain nature as per in our practice that frequently challenged the federal working system of India. In short, a recent trend has occupies some of its significant stances to look upon the prime concern of federalism. However, such kind of discourses has been raised over more than seven decades. It is also a kind of attempt of the federal form. Critiques have also mentioned about various strengths and weaknesses of this system. Besides, it incorporated some definite trends that have come in our way to disturb the balance of power and cooperative character of Indian federalism. For instance, more recently, the political development around the citizen Amendment Act, 2019 and other related issues have generated a lot of debates in the understanding of federalism. In addition to this, there is some tension between the Union & the state on the implementation issue of NRC-CAA. The opposing state like Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal addresses that Indian federalism becoming more competitive than cooperative over time to time. Contrary to this, Interstate River disputes, increasing demand for the new state, Covid-19 and its impact on Indian federalism etc. have broadened, to sum up centre-state relations. To the finding, this paper offers different recommendations or possible suggestions for underpinning India's federal arrangement. Now, time has come for India and its Indians to take a fresh look in reviewing the federal ideas for restoring the federal irritants in order to maintain a sense of balance between centre-state and inter-states relations in India.

The Journal of Asian Studies, 2004

Special Issue of the monthly magazine Yojana, February 2015, on Indian Federalism